Expert gardener Monty Don gives advice for beginner gardeners, emphasizing chemical-free growing and starting the gardening journey. Topics include benefits of gardening, balancing work with gardening, embracing failure, passing on gardening knowledge, and essential tools for beginners.
Start small with achievable goals like beautifying a small outdoor space or growing your own food to experience profound artistic and philosophical fulfillment.
Embrace mistakes and failures in gardening as they provide valuable lessons on plant care, gardening techniques, and the resilience needed for successful cultivation.
Gardening can be done on a budget by propagating plants from cuttings, using reclaimed materials for landscaping, prioritizing hardy, low-maintenance plant varieties, and investing in quality essential tools.
Deep dives
Benefits of Gardening for Beginners
Gardening offers a lifetime of satisfaction, enrichment, exercise, and connection to the natural world. It provides a creative outlet, from a small window box to larger landscaping projects. As a beginner, starting with simple goals like beautifying a small outdoor space or growing your own food can lead to profound artistic and philosophical experiences.
Starting Your Gardening Journey
For novices, taking stock of your garden's existing features like lighting and soil composition is crucial. Observing what thrives in your surroundings helps in selecting appropriate plants. Creating a raised bed for edible plants in urban settings is a practical starting point, fostering a sense of involvement and learning through hands-on gardening experiences.
Embracing Failure and Learning
Mistakes and failures in gardening are vital for true learning and growth. Whether a seed doesn't germinate or a plant succumbs to pests, understanding these failures teaches valuable lessons on plant care and gardening techniques. Embracing setbacks and challenges fosters a deeper understanding of cultivating plants and the resilience needed in gardening.
Making Gardening Accessible
Gardening can be undertaken on a budget by propagating plants from cuttings, utilizing reclaimed materials for landscaping, and focusing on hardy, low-maintenance plant varieties. Prioritizing perennial plants, hardy trees, and sustainable gardening practices helps make gardening more feasible for individuals with limited time or financial resources.
Essential Gardening Tools for Beginners
Key tools for novice gardeners include a sturdy spade, fork, pruning shears, a sharp saw, and a rake. Investing in quality tools enhances gardening efficiency and enjoyment. With a few essential tools like a wheelbarrow and recycled rubber containers, beginners can embark on gardening projects with confidence.
Simple Steps to Start Gardening This Weekend
To see results quickly, purchase plug plants or seeds of your favorite edible plants. Planting these in containers and following care instructions can lead to visible growth and eventual harvest. Sharing the fruits of your gardening labor with loved ones can further enhance the joy and satisfaction of starting your gardening journey.
Monty Don shares his expert advice for beginner gardeners. From plants to grow and the tools to use, plus ways to make the most of time and money, Monty explains how to get started. Monty also reveals why we should all grow chemical-free, along with his first steps to start your gardening journey. So, whether you want to grow beautiful blooms, delicious crops or do your bit for garden wildlife, follow Monty’s advice and begin your gardening adventure right now.
